


Naming Quest

by alphayamergo



Series: Twins Verse [2]
Category: Witches of Eileanan
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-18
Updated: 2013-11-18
Packaged: 2018-01-01 23:25:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1049819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphayamergo/pseuds/alphayamergo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Iseult and Isabeau return home from their Naming Quests to a family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Naming Quest

Night was falling when Iseult at last trudged up to the Fire-Dragon Pride’s camp. She was exhausted, her legs shaking with weariness. But she was proud of herself, and she held herself tall because she had earned her name, finally.

Khan’derin. Her name was Khan’derin.

Finally.

She saw a person standing at the edge of a cave, who spotted her at the same moment and turned to shout the news to the rest of the Pride. As she trudged closer, she saw more people crowd to the entrance to watch her return, and then her mother burst forwards, out of the crowd.

“Iseult!” she shouted. “Iseult!”

“Mam!” she called back. Somewhere, she managed to find the last of her strength and, with one last burst of speed, ran to her mother’s waiting arms.

“We’ve been so worried,” Ishbel whispered into her ear. “Most had given ye up for dead, and yer sister still hasn’t returned -”

“I saw her before I left the Skull of the World,” said Iseult. “She be fine, Mam.”

“She _was_ fine,” said Ishbel. “She could have run into all number of things on the way back – ogres or frost giants or goblins or snow lions…”

“Ye ken as well as I do Isabeau could talk her way out of a snow lion’s jaws,” said Iseult with a weary smile. “Can we go in, Mam? I want to sit.”

“Aye, o’course,” said Ishbel hurriedly. “Come along, yer dai-dein is longing to see you – not that he’ll admit it, the stupid mule of a man…” Iseult laughed as she allowed Ishbel to usher her into the cave.

-

It was another two days before Isabeau arrived home. She was pale and shaking, and Iseult’s heart clenched in terror when she saw her sister collapse upon arrival. She slept for two weeks without a break and Ishbel spent all of her spare time tending to her. Khan’gharad was also often found hovering over his daughter’s pallet, and worry was permanently etched over his face.

“She has the sorcery sickness,” said Ishbel when Khan’derin asked what was wrong with her. “Ea knows what she was doing using her Talent out there, or even what spells she used! She dinna ken any spells that might be useful, and she canna fly like ye or I.”

“She will be okay, won’t she?” asked Iseult quietly.

“Aye, I think so,” said Ishbel. “The moment she be well enough, I be taking her down to Lucesere and the Tower of Two Moons. The healers there can do a better job than me.” She looked up at Khan’derin. “Ye will be coming with me, won’t ye?”

Iseult nodded. “Aye,” she said firmly. “I want to see Isabeau get better.”

Isabeau woke up for long enough to tell the story of her naming after two weeks and three days. “I be named Khan’tinka,” she said. “She of many shapes.” And she had launched into a story that had Ishbel crying for both worry and pride.

“Ye stupid girl!” cried Ishbel. “Ye could have easily died, ye _should_ have died out there using that much magic!”

“I would have died for certain if I had not transformed so much,” exclaimed Khan’tinka defensively.

“Sorry, Khan’tinka, but I be rather glad I was not allowed to travel with ye on the naming quest,” said Iseult, and Isabeau beamed at the use of her new name. “I would have died for sure!”

“Nay,” said Isabeau. “Ye can fly like Mam. Ye would have soared straight over the top of that avalanche.”

“I canna fly very well,” said Iseult.

“Well, let us just be glad that ye are both safe and well,” said Khan’gharad.

“Ye best sleep again,” said Iseult. “Yer dai-dein will be taking us all down the Auld Ways so you can see the healers in Lucesere about yer sorcery sickness soon enough. Rest till then, leanann.”

Isabeau nodded sleepily. “Aye, alright Mam,” she murmured. Iseult bent down and curled up beside her on the pallet.

“We’ll be heading off tomorrow, won’t we, dai-denn?” she asked her father.

“Aye, if Khan’tinka be waking up,” said Khan’gharad. “Dinna fret, Khan’derin, ye will be seeing all yer friends soon.”

“Good night, dai-denn,” she said, and went to sleep, her head still curled against her sister’s shoulder.


End file.
